More than 30 years after the Sex Discrimination Act was passed, and with women now accounting for almost 50% of the workforce, why is it that there are still so few women in senior management positions?

It's a question which has vexed female employees, professional bodies, academics and the Government for years. A recent survey by the Municipal Year Book (MYB) has shown that in local government, there are five men to every woman at chief executive level. Clearly, there is still a long way to go in terms of challenging stereotypes and changing the values, assumptions and unwritten rules of organisations.